community in New Jersey
Honey bee forage in Pleasant Plains, New Jersey
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in New Jersey. Against other New Jersey sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in fall (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pleasant Plains?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pleasant Plains, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Pleasant Plains
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi W.
How Pleasant Plains ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 83rd | 67th | 60th |
| New Jersey | 63rd | 71st | 63rd | 58th |
| Northern Piedmont | 39th | 57th | 38th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Pleasant Plains: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Griggstown 1 mi · Franklin Park 2 mi · Ten Mile Run 2 mi · Blackwells Mills 2 mi · Six Mile Run 3 mi · Kendall Park 3 mi
All towns in New Jersey · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Pleasant Plains (40.4531, -74.5765); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.